Not Quite Norman Bates: Are You "Almost A Psychopath?" -- Research Summary

ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER: Psychopaths can be individuals with an extreme case of antisocial personality disorder. If someone has antisocial personality disorder that means that their ways of thinking, how they perceive situations and relate to others is out of the ordinary and sometimes destructive. Often times the words psychopath and sociopath are used interchangeably, although some have tried to distinguish differences between the two terms. A trademark of antisocial personality disorder is that people with the disorder may have no regard for right and wrong, which can lead to destructive behaviors. (Source: www.mayoclinic.com)

CAUSE: Not everyone agrees on what makes a person have antisocial personality disorder. Typically, people either believe the personality disorder is innate or is a result of the individual’s environment; it could also be a combination of two. Environmental factors that some believe could lead to antisocial personality disorder include things like being abused as a child or not experiencing love from parents or family members during childhood. (Source: www.mayoclinic.com)

WHAT TO DO: If someone around you demonstrates the signs of antisocial personality disorder, they will most likely not view this as a problem that needs to be treated. This means that treatment is typically very difficult, especially because many people with the personality disorder are very deceitful. People with loved ones with antisocial personality disorder may want to seek help for them in order to learn coping skills as well as how to protect themselves from the manipulation and aggression associated with the disorder. (Source: www.mayoclinic.com)